Not that there wasn’t enough good music out in 2010. It’s been a long-ass time since I made one of those numbered lists – I used to love doing it, but I think I might have taken it a little too seriously and they would always end up taking me so long to compile, it wasn’t worth posting them anymore by the time I was finished. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to mention really great albums by Mark Ronson, Hot Chip, She & Him, Tunng, Son Of Dave, Frightened Rabbit (especially Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks really stuck with me), and The Black Keys (always, always The Black Keys) – all of which got a lot of airplay on my iPod.

I’m thinking as I type this that a badass mix tape (the old school kind) could be made of some of my favorite singles of the year. If I did that, the tracklist would probably look a little something like this:

“The Arsonist”, Our Lost Infantry (thanks to Saam at Faded Glamour for letting us know about this one)
“Superfast Jellyfish”, Gorillaz
“Bang Bang Bang”, Mark Ronson (probably my single of the year, if I had to pick one)
“New York Is Killing Me”, Gil Scott-Heron
“Taos”, Menomena
“Best Friend”, The Drums
“The Opposite Of Adults”, Chiddy Bang
“The Cities That You Burn”, Adam Haworth Stephens
“King Of The Beach”, Wavves
“Kentucky Pill”, Johnny Flynn
“Ghost Train”, Summer Camp
“O.N.E.”, Yeasayer

Among others. Hmm, maybe I should make that mix.

Anyway, the point is that, although I loved all of this music dearly, they aren’t the artists I’m going to forever associate with 2010. It wasn’t really my best year ever and, I suppose I really latched on to the way Tom Petty, Langhorne Slim, and Mark Oliver Everett AKA Eels approach music.

Tom Petty?! Yeah, I know, I’m at least 20 years late and it’s not like I didn’t love Tom Petty before last year. But I got to see that amazing Peter Bogdanovich documentary earlier this year and then couldn’t get enough. Same with Langhorne Slim, whose eponymous 2008 album had been wasting away in my iTunes library until I finally remembered to check it out this summer. I snatched up everything else he’s recorded within weeks and at least one of his albums has been on my iPod ever since, no exaggeration. As for Eels – yeah, I listened to a lot of Eels last year too, but again – Mark Oliver Everett’s voice and songwriting just took hold me of me this year even more than before. I loved Tomorrow Morning but listened to everything I have as much as I could; Eels music is, for me, definitely something I love even more the more I listen.

All three play and sing from the bottom of their hearts, reaching deep, deep down for a level of true emotion (both happy and sad) that most other artists can’t dream of – but they all three also infuse their music and lyrics with the kind of hope that just refuses to give up. And I guess that’s just what spoke – or sang – to me in 2010.

Yeah, it’s been a while since we Merry Merry Month-ed, but January started off 2010 right with some fantastic releases. The obvious, the one everyone talked about, the one that had people gathered around their website waiting for a hint of what was to come is, of course, Vampire Weekend. Kicking of the new year, Contra didn’t quite knock my socks off on the first listen. Sure, “Horchata” was catchy-as-hell, but I wondered if perhaps their sound could really only sustain them for a short time. But it’s grown on me over the few weeks and, even without anything like the triple threat of “Oxford Comma”, “A Punk”, and “Mansford Roof”, I still feel it’s a worthy follow-up to their debut. No big surprises – it’s fun and insanely catchy in pretty much exactly the way I’d expected – but songs like “White Sky” easily remind us why we all liked them so much in the first place.

Laura Veirs‘ July Flame is perhaps a little less spunky, but still a pleasure to listen to. Here’s where I should admit that I’ve never actually heard a full Laura Veirs album before. I’ve got one EP, and she’s high on that mental list of artists I keep meaning to finally check out properly, but, shamefully, I still haven’t gotten to it. So it is that July Flame is the first one and, as a result, I have nothing to compare this to. I can’t say if it lives up to past releases or if she’s changed her ways since the last; I can only say that “Summer Is The Champion” and “Wide-Eyed, Legless” (below) were my immediate favorites and I expect July Flame to soundtrack many thoughtful moods in the future.

Now, there are a few artists, few enough that I could probably count them on one hand, that blow away the competition almost by default. Unless something tragic happens, other releases don’t stand a change against theirs. One of that few is the lovely Mark Oliver Everett and his Eels. Assuming he doesn’t totally go off the deep end and release, say, a gansta rap album*, his albums are probably always going to outshine the rest. Last year’s Hombre Lobo had bite; January’s End Times is all stunning heartache and loss. It bluntly describes, as Everett himself put it, “the state of the desperate times we live in. The bottom line-ness of it all. The end of common decency. The loss of caring about doing a good job. These are tough times. Who can you trust? Walter Cronkite is just a ghost.” Add to that a renewed sense of personal hurt and aloneness and you have the recipe for some truly depressing listening. So how is it that Eels albums never quite are? There always seems to be a tiny spark of hope, of defiance, underneath it all that keeps it from sinking into total despair. Everett’s talent lies in his ability to be almost painfully honest in his lyrics, while managing to find beauty in even the deepest sadness.

*Though, honestly, I’d totally listen to a Eels gangsta rap album at least once. It would be interesting, if nothing else.

As for singles, it seems that January ’10 had some greatness to offer in that department as well.

These New Puritans – We Want War

This song gives me goosebumps. It starts with a slow drum and gradually turns into a dark force with a choir, middle eastern-inspired percussion and creepy-inspired creepiness. It has the same effect as The Imperial Death March. Seriously, if ever I decide to become a super villain I’d choose this song for my theme. It feels menacing, like the harbinger of evil. Blows my mind.

Lightspeed Champion – Marlene

I first heard this song in concert two years ago (which by the way, was freaking amazing) and I remember looking for it afterwards, because it made such an instant impact. Dev warned the crowd that it was a bit different from his usual stuff. The crowd went nuts, so then he said he wondered whether to be worried that his other songs didn’t get quite the same booming response. To be honest, I’ll listen to anything he dishes out, but “Marlene” truly is a remarkable single with an harder edge and even some psychedelic influences. If you haven’t heard it yet, listen and love, my friend.

The nasal, high-pitched vocals sound like that guy from Empire Of The Sun. I mean, exactly like him! Wait, it’s not the same guy, is it? Uncanny. Anyway, this sounds like a wonderfully, sixties rock-inspired pop song. It’s really sunny and playful and for some reason it made me wish for the warm summer days that ended with a slushy that turned my tongue blue. But I think that might be a personal thing.

Plastiscines – Bitch

Les Plastiscines – following Meredith Brooks before them, aren’t trying to change the world with their earth shattering lyricism, they’re just announcing their superb B-I-T-C-H status with some rowdy Rawk ‘n Roll! “Bitch” has an uncomplicated message, if you can call it that, and mild shock value – well if you’re Amish and consider Avril’s musical endeavors “punk”, but it’s a whole lot of fun.

Oh my goodness, I love this song – from the electronic bleeps to the sweeping guitar. Its lyrics tap into the essence of human emotions without getting sickeningly sentimental. It’s the work of one beardy man with an amazing understanding how to play with words and melody to create something that’ll make a lasting impression. I know it’s not fair to compare, but I’ve listened to them in succession and couldn’t help but note his lyrics make the Plastiscines seem very silly indeed, still fun but so very silly.

OK Go – This Too Shall Pass

So sweet. I forgot that despite the somewhat gimmicky feel of their quirky, memorable videos, OK Go make some really great pop songs as well. This one is ridiculously catchy, upsweeping and uplifting and features a whole dang marching band. It will turn your mood from Tim Burton to Roberto Begnini in a heartbeat. AND it has a quirky, memorable video.

Jay Z, Rihanna, Bono & The Edge – Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)

The proceeds of this single go to relief funds for Haiti. It’s a great cause, a great single and a wonderful way to spend 99 cents.

So another month has passed us by, and it’s getting darker and colder out there. Let’s have a look at some of the new releases the end of summer ’09 brought us, shall we?

Girls‘ debut album, Album, was widely talked about – in fact, I only checked out the album because I’d seen their name all over the place – and is, as it turns out, quite good listening. They aren’t doing anything hugely new, but that’s ok sometimes – their brand of fuzzed-over surf-ish California pop is a lot of fun (when it isn’t sounding completely lovelorn, that is). Their sound doesn’t exactly pop, but would make some excellent heartbreak or late-at-night listening. Oh, except for “Big Bad Mean Motherfucker” – that one rocks hard.

The Cribs‘ Ignore The Ignorant, their fourth album, came out last month as well. Let me start by saying that I was a huge Cribs fan back when their debut came out. I was seriously in love with that album (and still am). I enjoyed the second as well, though maybe not quite as much, but was less impressed with the third. But at least it had some kind of catchy singles. So it pains me to be so bitterly disappointed in this new album. It’s just … boring. Blah. Blerg. I hear Johnny Marr in there and that should be cool, but honestly, I’m not sure what he adds in this context, especially when the songs just aren’t there to begin with. I’m not all that surprised really, what with how Men’s Needs … never fully caught my attention, but this is an even bigger let-down than I’d have thought possible. Bummer.

Before I get to my last album of September, I should mention here that I’m still trying to get my grubby hands on Kid Harpoon‘s full-length debut, Once. I’m a huge fan of his First and Second EPs, so I seriously cannot wait to hear this. Mr. Harpoon has tracks streaming on his website, so go have a listen here. It sounds fantastic, doesn’t it?

My favorite – by so far I can’t even see the others in the distance – is, without a doubt, Monsters of Folk by the folk-supergroup of the same name. Oh my, this album is a serious winner – each song definitely sounds like the member it was written by, and each of their voices are as distinctive as ever, but this never feels like a compilation of Conor Oberst, Jim James (or, inexplicably, Yim Yames), M. Ward, and Mike Mogis songs. Their styles and voices blend so beautifully, so smoothly, it feels like this foursome always existed as one. It’s so hard to pick a single stand-out track – is it the Marvin Gaye-meets-folk “Dear God (sincerely M.O.F.)”, or the old-timey country-gospel ditty “Goodway”? I’ll go with the cowboy-tinged “Man Named Truth” for the moment, but I have a feeling it’ll change constantly as I keep listening to this wonderful album.

And now it’s time to look at our favorite singles. Some months I choose certain singles because they’re not great but not bad either, so to give the band the benefit of the doubt I include them in the Merry Merry list. This time, however, I didn’t have to use any filler songs! It doesn’t happen very often so I’m really excited about September’s releases. I am smitten with every single one of these singles.

This is a sweeping bit of stomping folk. It starts off simple and urgent, but by the chorus you’re swept away by beautiful layers of fiddles and voices and a banjo, I think.

The song and the video are both so very adorable. It’s upbeat and melancholy and over way, way too fast.

The second single of their debut album is a wonderfully warm song. Fanfarlo is an amazing multi-instrumental band and has a beautiful, rich sound that has one leg in tradition and one leg in a mystery bucket of beauty. Yeah, I suck at telling you what they sound like but don’t let that stop you checking them out. They’ve been compared to Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah but try to clean your musical palate before you listen to this band. Their music is strong enough to stand on its own without the heavy shadows of other great Indie bands luring over them.

This song is lovely – a melodic pop song with a bluegrass ‘tude. Her enchanting voice transports me to a soft summer day in a beautiful field, which is hard to do because it’s fricking freezing today.

Her voice is so bizarre but cute. For some reason the music reminds me of a trippy yet slick nineties commercial and I love it. This song also makes me wish for carefree picnics in a park – Sigh, I might just be projecting my sadness for the demise of summer on these songs…

With this strange song The Drums rediscover the surfing theme without revisiting The Thrills. It vaguely echoes and pays homage to California surf pop, but with a wonderfully intricate contemporary feel. There’s also handclaps and whistling, I swear it’s like Bean dreamed up this band.

I mean it’s The Dodos. They rock. I was gonna leave it at that, but all the other ones got a wee descirption so it just wouldn’t be fair. “Fables” from their third album is catchy and swinging and a fun and flighty introduction to their fantastic new album. It’s almost poppy but with tremendous substance and depth.

A gentle number about lost love with electronic bleeps and a sad, sad voice. It’s sparse compared to the other singles in this list, but conveys as much, if not more emotion with so little.

Well, it’s that time again (a little late, but nevermind), and I’ll just be honest here: I didn’t get many new albums in August and the ones I got didn’t exactly knock my socks off. I’ll start with the only ‘big’ release I’ve got to talk about: Julian Plenti (otherwise known as Paul Banks) is … Skyscraper. There are two totally unfair things against this album right from the start: 1.) It’s always going to be compared to Interpol, though it really shouldn’t because, in theory at least, they’re two separate things. But there’s no stopping it. 2.) Paul Banks’ voice is incredibly distinctive and everything he sings is going to sound like him – which, to most listeners, means like Interpol. Which takes us back to point #1. I don’t know if it’s because of one or both of those problems, but to me, … Skyscraper pretty much sounds like a less powerful Interpol. If more songs had at least something a little different going for them, like “Unwind” (below), which I like very much, this album might have been a lot more interesting. As it is, I’ll probably just stick with Interpol.

As if August was the month for unexplained pseudonyms, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James has called himself Yim Yames on his “Tribute To [George Harrison]” EP. James hasn’t done anything drastic or unexpected with these songs, but that’s exactly what makes them so effective. He’s basically just let them speak for themselves, in his gentle, haunting voice. “My Sweet Lord” and “Love You To” are almost spooky, in the loveliest way possible.

There are a handful of albums I’ve only just sampled or listened to once, The Antlers’ Hospice among them. I went into it having no idea what to expect, and the truth is that it was so very mellow, I kind of forgot I had it on. It started to catch my attention a bit more in the second half, but Hospice is definitely an album I’m going to have to keep around for a while before I can really decide what I think of it. I only just this minute downloaded Cast Spells’ “Bright Works and Baton” EP from emusic – it sounds promising so far. And I was really looking forward to checking out The Drums‘ EP, “Summertime!”, when my emusic downloads refresh in a few days, but it is suddenly not available in my country although it was two days ago. Wha’ happen, emusic? It sounds like a lot of fun though – post-punk surf music – from the available samples, so I’ll keep my eye out for it to reappear.

And now it’s time to round up the singles! There were some exciting releases this month, but some songs that came highly recommended made me so impatient I started fast-forwarding to try to find “a point” to it all. Which is when I decided that the definition of a good song should be that it doesn’t need a point, it just is, and it is good. More and more, I find myself puzzled by songs that are supposed to be by an exciting new band. I’m scared that in a few years, all the ultra hip new music will make me quote my crazy uncle when he first heard Yeah Yeah Yeahs: “Oh awful, that’s just noise and screaming, nooooise and screeeaming!” In spite of me prematurely turning into a Grumpy Old Woman, we have a good list of exquisite songs this month:

A fun, upbeat single, reminiscent of Hot Chip and early Police. But honestly, all I’m thinking is: how do you pronounce Miike, is it anything like Hawaii??

You can’t get around this band, not unless you’re not connected to the intertubes and have no head. In this case, I fully embrace the hype, I love this hype, henceforth I will be part of the hype. This song is amazing. Sensually slow, it’ll creep right under your skin until you’re not only jumping on the bandwagon of accolades, but driving the damn wagon, whipping the horses up into a frenzy. (I always imagine the bandwagon’s drawn by horses and looks a lot like a Victorian coach…)

Big, rowdy MAN-rawk, yet surprisingly hard to sing along to. I think it celebrates us girls … or it’s about strippers? Meh, either way, what’s not to like.

A sweet, layered song that I love more the more I listen to it. If you wait long enough it might just become my favorite. Check out an acoustic version, which I think works even better than the original:

The lyrics in this particular song are a little too literal for my taste. Nonetheless, yet another great pop song by Lilly Allen.

This one is so Rock ‘n Roll, it’s almost a parody of itself. That’s not a bad thing! This band just plays great, old skool, garage rock with updated lyrics. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

I still love Chaka Demus & Pliers and as far as we’re concerned, Jamie T can do no wrong. So there is no way this tune could be anything but superb and it is, yet again, a thing of beauty. It’s a bit more catchy, which is NOT code for “he sold out”. It just means that there are woohoos to sing along with even if you can’t follow the lyrics yet. The lyrics are more serious than the easy-breezy music might lead you to believe, but even at his most political, his straight-forward but sweetly melodic eloquence will still charm and disarm anyone.

Sigh. Apparently, this song was written “on the spot” because Davis Guggenheim, the director of a new guitar documentary, asked him to. The whole backstory makes it all the more obnoxious how freaking good this song is. I’m always blown away by how little time The White Stripes need to finish an album, and this is just a small demonstration why that is. If anyone went to that crossroads to sell his soul, surely it has to have been Jack White, right?

Speaking of Jack White, he also produced these songs by the wonderful Dan Sartain (put your hands together…). This is one of those magical collaborations that I thought could only happen in a more perfect world. Needless to say, they’re amazing. Oh, and if you’re looking for a spooky but swinging song for upcoming Halloween celebrations, look no further than “Atheist Funeral”. It creeps me out while I’m doing a little chair dance. Sadly, there’s no video (yet?) so if you want to hear it, you’re gonna have to go to Third Man Records and get it yourself.

Thanks to the crispy, crispy, credit crunch, I’ve had to drastically change the way I buy music. I – and I think it’s no different for my fellow 100b chums – pick and choose and whittle down, and I mean waaay down, the list of albums. So the ones I select for the Merry Month are the best ones I’ve heard, but aren’t necessarily the best of what came out. On the other hand, singles have become really important to me these days.

OK, so first up my pick for best album:

The Dead Weather, Horehound

Some of the best things happen when great things merge: Lennon & McCartney, ice cream & bananas, Asterix & Obelix (oh man, I used to love that comic), M&M…s, ebony & ivory etc. So too is the teaming of the two most prominent band members of The Dead Weather, especially, a thing of beauty. We are not shy of our love for both The White Stripes and The Kills, and when I first heard of the supergroup my brain could not comprehend that much awesome. Horehound has provoked praise and criticism in equal measures and, after listening to it, I can see why. On their own, the two bands make their own special kind of magic but have an equally dark, sensual power. Combined, they’ve created a seperate sound that may not be to your liking if you were expecting something resembling either band. Like the bands that bore its members, The Dead Weather are raw, oozing with sex, and play stripped-down and dirty rock, but nonetheless bring something new and exciting to the table.

July had some really amazing singles. I tried to make it a more aesthetically pleasing list of five, but I couldn’t bring myself to scrap one from the list.

Here are my six favorite singles of the month:

Ah Patrick Wolf, he is my style icon. Hm, that makes me sounds about fourteen. Oh well, I never said that my thoughts went any deeper than “I wonder if my pink nail polish clashes with my shoes?”. I just love that he is as fearless and creative in the way he dresses as in his music. The Bean has listened to his new album and loves it; I haven’t had the pleasure yet, but I’m already mighty impressed with what I’ve heard. This single is extravagant and gets the blood pumping with its nervy rhythms and string section and sweeping gospel choir. For full effect, check out the visually stunning video.

I was gonna save this band for a New Band Day post, but I don’t wanna. This song is a big old raucous mess with a poppy disposition and an infectious enthusiasm. The boy/girl vocals combine a catchy chorus with some high-energy story telling. It’s still unpolished, but they have an endearing quality that’s hard to resist. Learn more about the band at their MySpace.

San Francisco’s Girls are ready for greatness with their debut single “Hellhole Ratrace”. It’s pretty and melancholy but doesn’t wallow in self-pity. The lead singer’s Elvis Costello-y voice, sweetly repeats that he wants someone to dance with. This is a mellow song that’ll stick in your brain for days. The lonely voice, bells and the lazily picked electric guitar turn into a beautiful wave of sound towards the end. I started out a bit indifferent, but by the time the hand claps began I was in.

This song is freaking brilliant, and perfect for summer. Those of you who have been following Voluntary Butler Scheme will probably know it. I even mentioned it in a fangirlie post about the band last year and really nothing’s changed. It’s still more fun than most new bands ever hope to be, but makes it seem so easy. It’s part Jackson Five, part I’m From Barcelona, and all kinds of fun.

Short but sweet and slowly turning into my favorite single of the month. “Fortune Teller” has a strong rhythm and a singer who sounds strangely detached. It seems to stop in the middle of the song, which made me listen to it again and again, like there was a mystery to solve. It’s definitely intriguing and I like it more the more I listen to it. The New York band started making music only a year ago and their debut album came out a little over two weeks ago. Learn more here.

The Boy Least Likely To – When Life Gives Me Lemons, I Make Lemonade

If anything, you have to watch the video. It’s exactly as adorable as the song. It’s classic Boy Least Likely To. Cute, quirky and catchy, but never ever over the top. Their songs are like a puppy with antlers, you wanna hug them to death, but they have an edge and a weirdness that keep you fascinated and utterly delighted.

Oopsy, I’m just just a teeny bit late with our run-down of March’s new releases, aren’t I? Nevermind, these albums are still worth mentioning even if it should’ve been, ahem, almost 2 weeks ago.

So let’s start with the new 1990′s release, Kicks. I’m afraid I’m not hearing any big anthem-y numbers like “You Made Me Like It” (one of the very best singles of whatever year that was), or any Modern Lovers-esque masterpieces like “Arcade Precinct”, but the 1990′s have still got that poppy thing that makes them so much fun. “59″ and “Balthazar” especially got me humming along on the first listen. Oh, “Everybody Please Relax” has an excellent hair-band ending, which is worth the admission price alone.

Next up is The Rakes third LP, Klang. Now anyone who’s read any of this blog, or has ever listened to me talk about music at all, knows that I love The Rakes – crazy undying love (only without the potential stalker connotation, I’m not *that* kind of crazy). I’m not sure why, but ever since I heard the opening lines of “22 Grand Job”, my fandom has been unstoppable. So you should understand why it’s really hard for me to say that I really wasn’t that impressed with Klang on the first listen. I just didn’t hear those things that made me love The Rakes in the first place – the catchy-ness, the humor, the dance-ablity. It was with a heavy heart that I popped it in for a second listen to take notes for this here post. And, wait a minute, it started to grow on me. I started noticing more good stuff in there, specific songs stood out (“That’s The Reason”, “Bitchin’ In The Kitchen”). So I’m not yet completely convinced one way or another, but that second spin definitely gave me reason to investigate further.

The Decemberists’ The Hazards Of Love never gave me any reason to doubt their powers. I honestly can’t imagine a world where The Decemberists could disappoint me, if for no other reason than what they do will always be interesting. In this case, The Hazards Of Love is everything I want in a Decemberists album: captivating stories and beautiful music. A band using the phrase ‘rock opera’ would usually strike fear in the hearts of their fans, but The Decemberists definitely suit the format. I love how everything they do is always a little bit different, they try new things, but it always sounds like them. This album brings back some of the harder prog-ish sounds we heard on “The Tain” and The Crane Wife, which I adore – it gives them a sinister, more menacing aspect that suits them so well. The kids singing on “The Hazards Of Love 3 (Revenge!)” are cheerful but totally creepy, and “The Rake’s Song” is just badass. I’ve loved everything The Decemberists have done and The Hazards Of Love is no exception.

Somewhat simpler, though no less excellent, is The Boy Least Likely To’s long-awaited second album, The Laws Of The Playground. It’s funny that two the bands I get extra-geeky about (The Boy Least Likely To and The Rakes) should both release albums in one month. Where The Rakes’ music confirms all my cynical feelings about the world, The Boy Least Likely To has the opposite effect. They remind me to be hopeful and playful sometimes, to daydream and take a walk in the sun. Not that it’s all fun and games – The Boy Least Likely To write children’s songs about grown-up things; there’s a lot of wisdom and commentary hidden underneath the playground singalongs. The Law Of The Playground is exactly what it should be: lovely, every single minute of it.

If I was going to pick an album of the month, which I’m not really, it would have to be Peter Bjorn and John’s Living Thing. I don’t know the specifics, but I have heard that not everyone loves this album. Those people are, well, wrong. No, there’s no “Young Folks” repeat, but why should there be? Did you not like the other 90% of Writer’s Block? If you actually like Peter Bjorn and John (and not just “Young Folks”), this album should definitely keep you happy. To be honest, my gut reaction is that Living Thing is actually better than Writer’s Block, though that’s still one of my favorite albums. They’ve ventured out into even more atypical beats for indie pop (especially on “It Don’t Move Me”, which sounds almost Michael Jackson-like in the verses), which contrasts so beautifully with their soothing vocals and poppy melodies, and brought in some of the experimental sounds they played with on Seaside Rock (steel drums, echo effects). The truth is that I love this album so much, I don’t even know what to say – don’t listen to the haters and grab yourself a copy, you won’t be sorry.

This month, my favorite albums all happen to be by American bands, and they all seem to celebrate tradition and nostalgia. Americana at its finest. The bands I’ve picked as the cream of February’s crop seem to be rooted in the past, but they made the old familiar sounds their own in exciting new ways.

Most people have that one band that for some reason makes them cross the line from appreciative fan to mental like Mel from Flight Of The Conchords. I am a total Mel for The Black Keys and with that comes the absolute and unhealthy adoration of its members. Their frontman Dan Auerbach came out with his solo debut, Keep It Hid, last month. I cannot guarantee that I wouldn’t have chosen it as my favorite album of the month if it stank of moldy socks, but it is genuinely amazing. And that’s not just the Mel talking. There’s some of the dark, soul-stirring, sleaze we’re used from The Black Keys, but it’s more diverse and introspective. He goes from folk to psychedelic to vintage motown soul, but stays true to his blues roots.

Why am I not obsessively collecting every single Heartless Bastards album that ever was? I really loved their last release and their recent release The Mountain is equally wonderful. Their uncomplicated, stripped down sound is almost as wickedly addictive as their aforementioned label mates The Black Keys. Their frontwoman’s voice may not have a great range, but she puts as much emotion into one song as Mariah Carey puts notes into one syllable.

M. Ward has a knack of creating songs that were made to be played by Richie Tenenbaum as he pines over his forbidden love for his adoptive sister. I know that’s awefully detailed, but that’s exactly the feeling I get from this album, Hold Time. It’s beautifully contemplative, but also secretly joyful. We’re pulled into a very personal warm world by his oddly catchy, yet delicate folky country songs.

Then there’s one-man band Phosphorescent, who quite literally honors his musical predecessors. To Willie is a whole album filled with covers of Willie Nelson songs. If I were him, I’d be beaming with pride at the outcome. Every song is steeped with reverance and respect. It makes you appreciate Willie’s music in new ways, all the while admiring Matthew Houck’s interpretation of the songs. He makes them sound deeply personal, like he’s seen every hill and valley Willie’s traveled.

In October, the world waited with bated breathe as it came closer and closer to the climactic ending of a historical US presidential election. Musically, however, it looked like it was going to be a rather slow month. I was so wrong, a very diverse group of bands have put out some unexpectedly good albums.

The first single from I’m From Barcelona‘s second full length, Who Killed Harry Houdini, “Paper Planes” and “Headphones” are shining gems that almost equal the burst of pure joy that is “We’re From Barcelona” from their first album. Yet this album is a tad less exuberant and a bit more reflective than their debut Let Me Introduce You To My Friends, but no less enchanting. Their second album is still a must-have if you’re in search of some invigorating pop tunes, but their more familiar jubilant tracks are intermixed with quiet, soul-searching, sweeter songs. It might not be what you’d expect judging from their first album, but they’ve had a growth spurt that gives them an unexpected heartbreaking quality.

   I’m From Barcelona – Headphones

O’Death sounds like musical chaos among the haystacks in a barn .. in Brooklyn. Their unique brand of punky, folky, bluegrass unfailingly fascinates and delights on Broken Hymns Limbs And Skin. If you’re looking for pretty polished ditties, than steer clear from this album, but if you’re on the market for an off-beat, stomping, unruly, but beautifully written record with a southern twang and a punk spirit, then you’re right on target with Broken Hymns. The album isn’t easy to get into, but after every listen I grow more and more enamored with it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it makes it in my top 5 of 2008, by the end of the year.

The song that opens Off With Their Heads is edgier than we’re used from the Kaiser Chiefs, yet it’s still as catchy as ever. The songs that follow are testament that though they may have adopted a harder, more electronic sound, they still conjure up images of football fans singing along to their highly addictive choruses. Off With Their Heads is poppy, brash and choc full of great songs. The Kaiser Chiefs haven’t lost any of their rowdy magic and appeal and if you loved them before you won’t be disappointed by this one. The album’s end note “Remember You’re A Girl” is the antihesis of the opening track, it’s a sweet, quiet, understated, John Lennon-inspired song that leaves you wondering why they don’t fill whole albums full of these little beauties.

   Kaiser Chiefs – Remember You’re A Girl

Ah yes, Ryan Adams, he still makes me shake my head with disbelief. Whether it be because of his somewhat schizophrenic blog posts or the sheer number of albums he’s dished out – some more memorable than others. He’s been accused of lacking an internal editor and lauded for his endless creativity. Cardinology embodies these controversial sentiments as it has critics and fans split right in the middle. The one seems to think it’s classic rock done to perfection, others are less enthused and once again accuse the man of over-indulgence. I think Cardinology is half wonderful and half so-so, but far from Ryan’s least successful work. It immediately opens strong with “Born Into A Light”, then it slowly becomes less and less captivating. Just when you think, maybe it’s all become a bit too clean and perfect to keep your attention for long, he hits you with a beautiful song like “Crossed Out Name”.

My favorite release of the month was a total surprise! I bought Department Of Eagles’ In Ear Park solely because of “No One Does It Like You”, the sneak peak at their second album that made its rounds around the blogosphere last year. It’s a beautiful, wonderous song with a motown beat and intricately layered vocals and promised amazing things to come. Thankfully, the album delivers on that promise. In Ear Park will dreamily have you floating through highly theatrical, quirky songs that conjure up nostalgic images. It’s unique, almost innocent sounding, but with an epic impact. My favorite tracks are the almost carnival-esque “Teenagers” and the strange but fascinating “Classical Records”.

   Department Of Eagles – Teenagers

Wow, September was like new release mayhem! There’s a lot of stuff to cover this month, so we better just jump right in.

The release with the most attention on it was probably Kings Of Leon‘s fourth album, Only By The Night. This one sees our Kings sounding much more Achtung Baby and a little less hillbilly – not as sleazy as they used to be, but way more sultry. I’ll admit that, although I liked “Sex On Fire” when I first heard it, I was a little dubious about this new album. But I shouldn’t have worried – Only By The Night didn’t grab me immediately the way that Kings Of Leon’s first albums did, but it’s grown on me enormously over the last two weeks. If you’re not convinced, check out “Crawl”, “Manhattan”, and “Notion” and see if they don’t win you over.

Next up is the lovely Peter, Bjorn & John with their latest, Seaside Rock. My opinion of this album kind of depends on how we’re supposed to take it: is this the real next Peter, Bjorn & John album, follow-up to the glorious Writer’s Block, or is it an experimental interlude? Seaside Rock is definitely interesting, and has some great music on it, but it doesn’t feel like an album. And although the odd Swedish stories (which may not be odd if I actually knew what they were telling me) are kind of charming at first, and set a certain mood, I can see where they could get a little annoying after a while – like skits on rap albums, only not dumb. In general, I suspect that Seaside Rock will be great for making mix CDs and playlists (“Saying Something (Mukiya)”, for example, would sound great on a mix), but I doubt it’ll be one of my most often played albums ever.

The always fun Spinto Band released their second LP, Moonwink last month and although it’s quite nice indeed, it’s doesn’t stray too far from where they left off on Nice And Nicely Done. That’s not a criticism, more of a taste test: if you loved “Oh Mandy”, go get yourself a copy of Moonwink right away. If you didn’t, this new album probably isn’t going to change your mind.

Fujiya & Miyagi haven’t changed much up on their third album, Lightbulbs, either, but I do feel like they’ve gotten even better at what they do. “Knickerbocker” has got to be one of the best singles of the year, and “Uh” (below) makes the world’s best use of ‘sock it to me’. I wasn’t sure that the slower songs (“Goosebumps”, “Dishwasher”) quite fit at first, but now I’m thinking that the slight variations on this album give it a little extra something that Transparent Things lacked.

Speaking of lacking: anyone who, like me, felt that the only problem with the otherwise spectacular Casino Royale was the rather weak Chris Cornell Bond theme (“You Know My Name”) will be glad to hear the Jack White / Alicia Keys collaboration for Quantum Of Solace (if you somehow haven’t already). Sounding old and new at the same time, “Another Way To Die” is a much more fitting Bond theme.

Sadly, The Streets‘ Everything Is Borrowed is not such a triumph. Although it sounds more like a party than Mike Skinner’s previous albums, it doesn’t have nearly the same weight that his first two albums had. The title track does indeed make for a pretty catchy single, but it’s got an ordinary-ness that “Fit But You Know It” could crush with its pinky. Having said all of that, I should add as a disclaimer that I’ve only really listened to this album once properly, and Skinner’s greatest skill is most often found in his lyrics, so I’ll definitely give this more of a chance over time.

My beloved Raveonettes, continuing their EP spree, released the “Sometimes They Drop By” EP, much to my delight. I’ll never get tired of these guys and their motorcycle gang fuzz. These four songs aren’t a drastic change to anything that came before, but they do sound like they’ve been spending some time down at the drive-in watching martian movies. With every thing they do, The Raveonettes just keep getting a tiny bit better and I’m always anxious to hear what will come next.

Of course, I’ve saved the best for last. Well, depending on who you ask. Cold War Kids seem to be a seriously polarizing band, based on various comments I’ve seen around the internets lately. You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em and there’s nothing in between. I guess I could see how their sound isn’t for everyone, but I’m in the love ‘em camp and I can’t imagine anything changing my mind. Loyalty To Loyalty was much anticipated at here 100b and it doesn’t disappoint. True, it’s much less structured than Robbers & Cowards, and that might be disconcerting for some. It feels more like a great live band (which they are, by the way, one of the best we’ve ever seen) doing their thing than an orderly album – it’s funkier, more beat-driven (an underrated aspect of Cold War Kids has always been their drums), both more rowdy and more subtle than their first. This is the kind of album that sticks around for a long time, and keeps getting better and better the more it’s played.

   Fujiya & Miyagi – Uh
   Cold War Kids – Dreams Old Men Dream

This month has been very merry merry. August saw so many good releases that I’m having a hard time picking the one that stood out the most, so like the parent of a spoiled kid at a toy store, I decided to stop crying about it and let me pick two of my favorites. So I start and end this month’s post with the albums that impressed me the most. I even came up with an excuse for picking two this month. See, the albums are like night and day, so I couldn’t possibly pick between two polar opposites, because there’s simply no comparing the two. Sounds almost like it could be true, no?

Seasick Steve-endorsed Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir comes really close to what I imagine Gogol Bordello would sound like if they had their roots in Kentucky rather than Eastern Europe. Like the gypsy-punk band, this band mixes traditional sounds with a punk spirit. Even at their most jubilant, their take on old-timey country has a sinister undertone, underscored by Judd Palmer’s raw, guttural voice. The end result is breathtaking. Their third album, Ten Thousand proves that, in spite of horrifying Frankenstein-type hybrids like rap metal, when the boundaries between genres are crossed beautiful things can happen. At times, they play around with the darker pits of blues as in “Dark Holler”, other times they’re punky, but they’re always doused with a good helping of bluegrass.

   Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir – Go Back Home

Canadian duo Human Highway’s debut features gentle vocals and equally mellow guitar-play, which makes for a very sweet record indeed. With the poppy exception of “The Sound”, Moody Motorcycle never picks up speed, but manages to keep your attention thanks to the beautiful harmonies reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel and the Beach Boys. So very pretty, pretty, pretty, but it could do with just a tiny little bit more oomph. A smidge more bite. A bit less Hannah Montana, a bit more Hurricane Hanna … except without the fatalities, I’m sorry that was a horrible, horrible analogy.

I finally get it. I always thought The Walkmen were a good band, but I didn’t really get why certain music snobby snobs fawned over them. I have to admit the snobs were right in this case. The band holds fast to old ways and You And Me is filled with songs that have the feel of time gone by, but I never get the feeling that I’ve heard it all before. And yet, as a whole, this album has a strong sense of nostalgia. It is their fourth release and is aimed to move us; move us to smile or cry or tap our feet. Their deeply soulful songs are seductive and sophisticated but never stuffy. If you weren’t a fan before, you will be halfway through this album, I’m living proof of that.

It makes sense to me now that Conor Oberst put this album out under his name. This album feels more personal but is also more upbeat than his previous work. His songwriting is exceptional as always, but his familiar introspective pessimism is layered with a wit and joy that’s so refreshing. Last week, The Bean and I caught him live – we had seen him play before, but we agreed this was the best we’ve ever seen him. He played with the crowd and seemed genuinely excited to play with the amazing Mystic Valley Band. I didn’t set out to give a live review, but if you get the chance to see him on this tour you should, because this beautiful album seems to have revived a previously unseen and unheard playful side in him that’s endearing and fun to watch and listen to.

Kele Okereke has called Intimacy Bloc Party ‘s ‘break up album’, and there is a hint of sadness alternated with a healthy dose of vengefulness throughout, but specked with the intimacy announced in the title. We’re used to them sounding like they write the soundtrack to a busy city landscape; Intimacy pulsates in a high speed and even when it takes a breather it still has the familiar Bloc Party urgency and angst we know and love.

Though Peaceful The World Lays Me Down is their debut, Noah And The Whale have already dished out two exceptional artists with Laura Marling and Emmy The Great. The remaining members don’t seem to have suffered from their absence. The album is beautiful, moving, and uplifting and as perfect as a first album can get. Whereas Arcade Fire’s full orchestral sound reveals a sweet melancholy tragedy, Noah And The Whale merrily celebrate life with their multi-instrumental outfit. Oh and, though it’s only 0.746% of the reason why they’re one of my picks of the month, have a look at their site and check out the page called Urby’s Greats if you’re into music themed lists. Plus, it looks like it was made by Wes Anderson. So fun!

   Noah And The Whale – 5 Years Time

So what new releases knocked my socks off in July? I don’t have a lot to share with you in this edition of In The Merry Merry Month… since July was incredibly chaotic for me, but July definitely had some great things to offer.

Pop Levi’s second album was released, which was exciting for me to find out because his first is still a constant on my iPod. Never Never Love is less glam and more electro than The Return To Form Black Magick Party – like he’s shed off some Marc Bolan and gained a little Prince. (To be honest, I’ve never really listened to Prince much, other than the singles, so that may be a faulty comparison. You get what I mean though.) I can’t say it’s grabbed me quite as much as his first did, but any Pop Levi is better than no Pop Levi, in my opinion.

Beck’s widely anticipated Modern Guilt has been all over the place, and rightly so. I haven’t had a chance to listen to it a lot yet, but I will say that it’s appeal is apparent immediately. It sounds like Beck should sound – funky and a mix of every genre at once – but where his funkiness is typically hip-hop influenced, Modern Guilt feels more like a relaxed blues jam on hot summer day. Beck is always a surprise and hasn’t let me down yet.

I think I’ve missed some releases since Dr. Dog’s wonderful Easy Beat back in 2005, but I made sure to grab their latest, Fate, as soon as I could. Fate sounds pretty much like I expected it to, but that’s not a bad thing. Dr. Dog’s White-Album-Beatles-meets-The-Band sound is perfect for the summertime and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

By far my favorite of this month’s releases is Kitty, Daisy & Lewis’ eponymous debut album, around 3 years since I first heard them belt out “Mean Son Of A Gun”. I seriously can’t recommend this album enough – it’s charming, rockin’ and completely transports you to a dusty, rockabilly world that no longer exists.

   Kitty, Daisy & Lewis – Honolulu Rock-a Roll-a

Ah June, the long warm (wet) days, the weddings, the new releases. This month of luuuve and new beginnings brought us two debuts that blew me away, and a couple of albums by more established artists that more than lived up to their preceding records.

Wolf Parade and Hot Club De Paris both had the unenviable job of following up extraordinary and much-loved debuts and did a great job. They delivered albums that don’t have quite the same instant impact, because when they first came out they were unlike anything we’ve heard at the time. Their respective second albums are an exploration and a maturity of their sound. They’re packed with staying-power and beautiful songs that are sure to become firm favorites after a couple of listens. Wolf Parade’s At mount Zoomer was a bit hard to get into at first, especially with the fantastic Apologies To The Queen Mary in mind, but once it gets under your skin, it’s there to stay. Hot Club De Paris had their work cut out with an outstanding debut like Drop It Till It Pops, but Live At Dead Lake is amazing. They kept their melodic wit but every once in a while songs like “The Dice Just Wasn’t Loaded From The Start” reveal a sweet sensitivity and tenderness that’ll break your heart.

   Hot Club De Paris – The Dice Just Wasn’t Loaded From The Start

Unless you reject all forms of media, it’s impossible to have missed Weezer‘s so-called Red Album coming out last month. Highly anticipated albums like these are in danger of being drowned out by the hype surrounding it, but there’s no need to worry, it’s a gem. This time the rest of the band shares song-writing and vocal credits with Rock’s most elusive front man, with varied result. As always it’s self-deprecating and catchy, but it’s also slightly schitzo if you ask me, which is not a bad thing! When a thoroughly strange song like “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived”, which goes from metally to hip hoppy to Beach Boy ‘n Beatles-y, is sandwiched in between the über poppy “Troublemaker” and “Pork And Beans”, it makes it hard to pin-point what their next song is gonna sound like. It’s good, it’ll keep ya on your toes.

Then there’s the two debuts that made my ears flutter with delight. The first is by a band that caught aDawgg’s attention last year. White Denim‘s Workout Holiday is an incredibly fun rabblerousing record that doesn’t always hit the right spot, but when it does, it’s magical. That’s OK, it just means they left some room for growth. Their, often psychedelic, interpretation of seventies, garage rock combined with a Sam & Dave-ish soulfulness is refreshing and so exciting. The second incredible debut is also my vote for favorite album that came out in June: wee pop pixie Lykke Li‘s Youth Novels! A simple beat is really all she needs to create a mind-blowingly perfect Pop song. Her voice is so cute, so sweet, so little, and yet so commanding. From the beautiful Kate Bush-inspired “Time Flies” to the darker, repetitive “Complaint Department”, it’s Pop of the highest order.

   White Denim – Darksided Computer Mouth
   Lykke Li – Let It Fall

First things first – aDawgg would like to offer his sincerest apologies for having to skip this week’s edition of Those Zany Charts… He told me to tell you all something, but I’ve completely forgotten what it was. In any case, Those Zany Charts… will be back in its regularly scheduled slot in two weeks’ time.

So, I’m here instead today, bringing you the first in a new feature here at 100b. We’ve been hoping to do something that focuses on new releases for some time now, since they get a bit neglected around here, so we’ll be writing up a quick run-down of the stuff we’ve had a chance to hear over the previous month (more detailed reviews will be done in separate posts should we feel the need or, you know, get around to it). In The Merry Merry Month may cover albums, singles, movies, or anything else music-related that grabs our attention. Please keep in mind that we are not high profile bloggers that get promotional copies of releases and that we do actually pay for these albums. We may not be able to pick up every single good release every single month, but we are always open to suggestions, so speak up in the comments if you think we’re missing out on something great.

So, what came out in May? The Ting Tings’ We Started Nothing has been all over the place lately. There’s a lot of criticism of The Ting Tings going around, but I don’t get it. We Started Nothing is a good pop record – it’s catchy as hell, fun, danceable. What exactly is wrong with that? Another duo that had a lot of early blog buzz was John & Jehn. Their Velvet Underground-y debut is a little bottom-heavy and doesn’t bring any major surprises in their sound, so steer clear if you hated “20 L 07″. Personally, I love “20 L 07″ and I’ve really enjoyed the album so far; “1,2,3″ and “Lady Spider” were the tracks that stood out to me on the first couple of listens. And yet another twosome, dan le sac vs. Scroobius Pip, made their debut in May with Angles, which feels less like a cohesive album than a very enjoyable (if slightly random) collection of cool beats and cleverly-made observations on modern society.

My most anticipated release in May was definitely The Futureheads’ This Is Not The World and it doesn’t disappoint. This album brings back the magical combination of harmony and fire that their debut did so well (and that News & Tributes lacked in places). My biggest surprise of the month was Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit’s stunning debut, A Larum, which I’ve completely fallen in love with. A glorious mix of assorted folk influences, A Larum is one of the best releases I’ve heard all year.

Check out standout tracks from my favorite May 2008 releases below.

   The Futureheads – Broke Up The Time
   Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit – Cold Bread